Ant-Man: Director Peyton Reed Signed by Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios and Disney have finally settled on Peyton Reed as their choice for a director for the superhero movie, Ant-Man, which is set to begin production this summer in Atlanta, Georgia. The first director chosen for Ant-Man, Edgar Wright, reportedly parted ways with Marvel two weeks ago over “creative differences.” Then, Adam McKay was given the green light, but he had other commitments, so declined the offer, though he will be contributing to the script for the film.

For anyone who is unfamiliar with the Marvel superhero, Ant-Man, he was Dr. Henry “Hank” Pym, a biochemist who developed a serum and created Pym Particles. Though the experiment which he decides to perform on himself doesn’t go quite as he’d planned, he is able to use the Pym Particles to shrink in size and increase his strength. He then also figures out a way to communicate with ants and other insects, and get them to do his bidding.

Peyton Reed has not directed many big budget movies, but he did direct the 2008 film starring comedian Jim Carey, Yes Man. He is in the preliminary stages directing a movie called The Fifth Beatle, and he has also directed movies such as Bring It On in 2000, Superchunk in 2004, and the 2006 flick, The Break-Up, which starred Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston. Reed has directed several television programs, as well, like The Weird Al Show (1997), Upright Citizens Brigade (2000), and The Goodwin Games (2013).

Peyton Reed has a big challenge on his hands, but if he can help make Ant-Man, starring actors Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, a box office success, it will be a sign that Marvel superhero fans enjoy watching any movie featuring a superhero, if it is directed well, and has enough cool special effects and a great cast.

Michael Douglas will play the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, and Paul Rudd will be the con man, Scott Lang, who steals Pym’s Ant-Man costume and helmet to try to get money to save the life of his daughter, who has a heart condition. He is eventually taken under Hank Pym’s wing, and becomes the new Ant-Man. The synopsis for the Ant-Man movie mentions that Hank Pym must help con Man Scott Lang “pull of a heist that will save the world.”

Other actors and actresses who will be in Ant-Man include Corey Stoll, Michael Pena, Matt Gerald, Evangeline Lilly, and Patrick Wilson. Ant-Man, which will also film in Los Angeles, California, is still keeping its original release date of July 17, 2015. That will be just a month after the scheduled release date of the Marvel Studio/Disney movie, Avengers: Age of Ultron.

The original director for Ant-Man, Edgar Wright, wrote the film script for the movie over almost ten years with Joe Cornish. Adam McKay will probably not make many major changes to the movie, once dubbed as a “heist film,” but he will help adapt the movie and alter its vision, reportedly adding more comedy touches to it. McKay has directed and co-written movies like the two Anchorman flicks starring Will Ferrell, and Paul Rudd.